Lying beaten and badly injured on a hotel room floor SA国际影视传媒� his leg fractured and his hand shattered after being attacked and left for dead by members of his own criminal gang SA国际影视传媒� Michael SA国际影视传媒淏ullSA国际影视传媒� Roberts thought about ending his life. He inched closer to a nearby bathroom, where he planned to end it all.
photo submitted by Michael "Bull" Roberts.
SA国际影视传媒淏efore I made it to the bathroom, I said, SA国际影视传媒業 want to make one more deal with God SA国际影视传媒� before I die today, I want to feel love once,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� remembers Roberts.
Then, as he began to cry, he SA国际影视传媒渇elt forgiven.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 swore I would never go back. ISA国际影视传媒檇 only go forward,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts in a recent interview with Yellowknifer.
More than a decade later, Roberts hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 looked back.
His moment of clarity, borne from despair, was recounted to students at six NWT schools as part of a three-day speaking tour in the North, which wrapped up late last month.
Roberts, a Newfoundland-born former gang-leader, spoke at St. Patrick and Sir John Franklin high schools in Yellowknife.
He also gave talks at the Kalemi Dene School in Ndilo, Deh Gah School in Fort Providence, GametiSA国际影视传媒檚 Jean Wetrade School and Mezi Community School in Whati.
The speaking tour SA国际影视传媒� aimed at inspiring young people by giving them the tools to deal with trauma and abuse while avoiding drugs and crime SA国际影视传媒� was the result of a partnership between Roberts, the NWT , the Justice Department and Community Justice and Community Policing.
After turning his life around and abandoning a life where he was the leader of a criminal outfit that moved drugs into communities across Saskatchewan, Alberta and the NWT (including Yellowknife), Roberts travelled the world sharing his story of resilience and redemption.
Last year, he got a phone call.
On the other end was a former NWT Mountie SA国际影视传媒� who once investigated Roberts. The officer, now stationed in Nova Scotia, had learned of the work Roberts was doing, and invited him to talk at schools as a part of a community policing initiative. He was then asked to share his story with young people in the North.
SA国际影视传媒業t was hellSA国际影视传媒�
Growing up in a small fishing town in Newfoundland, Roberts endured severe physical and sexual abuse beginning when he was just a toddler. At home, he was subjected to daily beatings. At school, he faced constant bullying.
Roberts turned to drugs when he was just 10-years-old.
SA国际影视传媒淚 found that getting high was what saved me from the pain,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts, remembering when heSA国际影视传媒檇 sit in the woods, sniffing gas to numb himself from the pending beating that came like clock-work everyday. He was placed in foster care, and at 16 he was a "full-blownSA国际影视传媒� drug addict and alcoholic.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was hell,SA国际影视传媒� recalled Roberts.
He left Newfoundland and was a young man living on the mean streets of Toronto when he was introduced to organized crime. He then bounced from Manitoba to Alberta, where he eventually became the leader of a criminal gang, whose far reach extended into the NWT.
photo.
But his involvement in the enterprise came to a sudden halt when his own friends ambushed him, leaving him with broken bones and a fractured spine. He turned his back on crime for good.
Now he pursues one of the SA国际影视传媒済reatest joys,SA国际影视传媒� of his new life: helping young people.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 want these kids to go down the road I went down,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts.
His speeches look to strip away the glorification of drug use and drug dealing, while delivering messages about the devastating impact of bullying and abuse.
Growing up in a small town, sex simply wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 talked about, and sexual education was non-existent, said Roberts. When he was being abused, he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know it was wrong.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of families still wonSA国际影视传媒檛 talk about sex,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts. SA国际影视传媒淏ut if (abuse) is happening, it's happening in small communities like these all the time.SA国际影视传媒�
While both girls and boys victimized by abuse face tremendous hurdles in talking about it, he said males often think theySA国际影视传媒檒l be a SA国际影视传媒渞at,SA国际影视传媒� if they speak out.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 telling these guys, SA国际影视传媒榣ook, ISA国际影视传媒檓 this big tattooed guy. It happened to me. Speak up. Let someone know. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 safe to come and talk to somebody,'" said Roberts.
SA国际影视传媒榊ou are not aloneSA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hose kinds of messages were important for our kids to hear,SA国际影视传媒� said Don Reid, assistant principal at St. Patrick High School, who helped organize the event. Hundreds of students from Grades 8 to 11 attended.
Reid said Roberts delivered a powerful message and emphasized how thereSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渘othing romantic whatsoever about the drug trade.SA国际影视传媒�
On the importance of speaking out about abuse and bullying, Reid said, SA国际影视传媒淵ou never know what kind of day someone is having or what theySA国际影视传媒檙e experiencing themselves, and all it takes are your words, either good or bad, to change the balance of how that personSA国际影视传媒檚 life goes.SA国际影视传媒�
Chantel Sangris, an educational assistant at Jean Wetrade School in Gameti, said she hopes students who sat in on Roberts' talk listen to his words.
SA国际影视传媒淵ouSA国际影视传媒檙e not alone,SA国际影视传媒� said Sangris. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 good that the kids and community members heard his story because weSA国际影视传媒檙e here to help."
Talks are underway potentially to bring Roberts back to the North for a fall speaking tour.
